How to thicken strawberry sauce without cornstarch or gelatin

An ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL Strawberry Topping Recipe for cheesecake that is quick and easy to make. Much better than any store-bought or restaurant sauce! You'll love how this sauce drips down with every bite...

• Tastes better than any store bought or restaurant version
• Made with fresh strawberries
• Ready in 15 minutes
• Uses only 4 easily available ingredients
• Incredibly versatile - easily make smooth or extra chunky or smooth depending on your preference
• No artificial ingredients or preservatives

Ingredients

This homemade strawberry topping recipe uses only 4 simple ingredients - fresh or frozen strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch.

• Both fresh and frozen strawberries work for this recipe. I like to hull, then cut them in half - but you can slice them into small pieces or keep them whole depending on your preference. Sweet strawberries work best - very sour strawberries will not work no matter how much sugar you add to the recipe.
• As with any fruit, sweetness of the strawberries will vary. I like to add some sugar to make sure the sweetness is just right. I tend to use less sugar during strawberry season in the late summer when my grocery store carries locally grown, vine-ripened strawberries. Instead of sugar, you can also use honey, agave nectar (try ⅓ cup then adjust for sweetness) or your favorite non-sugar sweetener.
• Fresh lemon juice adds just enough acid, to brighten the flavor of the sauce. You can also use lime juice, grapefruit juice, or even a dash of apple cider vinegar for a similar effect. Although not require in this recipe, lemon zest can also be added to increase the brightness of the sauce.
• I like using a cornflour slurry (cornstarch dissolved in water) to help thicken the sauce. While flour also works, I prefer using cornstarch as it gives the sauce a luxuriously silky texture and sheen.
• I do not use vanilla extract in the strawberry topping as it adds an unusual taste, changing the natural fruity flavor.

How to make this sweet strawberry topping recipe for cheesecake

Put about ⅓ of the strawberries into a small bowl and set aside. Refrigerate until ready to use. Mix the cornstarch and cold water together.

Transfer the remaining strawberries, lemon juice, cornflour slurry, and sugar to a small saucepan. Mix with a wooden spoon and simmer over medium-high heat for about 5-10 minutes or until the strawberries break down and the sauce begins to thicken.

For a smooth sauce, puree the hot sauce in a food processor or an immersion blender until smooth. Strain the berry mixture using a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Use the back of a soup ladle or spoon to push the thick berry mixture through the mesh strainer into the bowl. Discard any seeds that remain in the strainer. Allow the fresh strawberry sauce to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For a chunkier version, add in whole or sliced strawberries to the sauce.

Tips on making the best strawberry dessert topping

• For a chunkier sauce use a potato masher and skip blending the sauce.
• Use an immersion or hand blender directly in the pot - helps with clean-up!
• Do not simmer the strawberry sauce for more than 15 minutes as the sauce may lose its fresh fruity flavor. To further thicken the sauce, add some whole, hulled strawberries and blend or mash with the sauce until you reach the desired consistency.
• There is no need to use food coloring as it already has a gorgeous, naturally dark pink color.

How long does strawberry topping for cheesecake last in the fridge

Stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap, this easy strawberry topping will last for about a week in the fridge. You can make this sauce ahead of time and use it when ready to serve.

Once cooled, the strawberry topping can also be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months in the freezer. To thaw, leave it on a countertop for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. The sauce can be reheated in a microwave or stovetop.

Nutrition

Each serving of this delicious strawberry topping has about 61 calories, 0.1g of fat, and 15.7g of carbohydrates (14.9g of net carbs).

This recipe yields approximately 12 servings. The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.

Strawberry Sauce variations

You can easily vary the sauce consistency by adding more or fewer strawberries. For a smooth silky sauce, leave the sauce as is after sieving it. Add mashed, sliced or whole strawberries to the puree for a chunkier version. To soften the strawberry chunks cook them in the sauce until they reach the desired texture.

This recipe is very versatile. The strawberries can be easily substituted with an equal amount of other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. A combination of different types berries will work too. To make a cherry sauce, simply pit and halve, before cooking. The amount of sugar required will vary depending on the sweetness of the berries, so adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.

A dash of Grand Marnier takes this sauce to the next level!

To convert to a cake filling..

This great recipe is fantastic as a cupcake filling but in its original state, too runny as a cake filling. To convert it to a cake filling, use 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in water. Add more whole chopped or sliced strawberries if a chunkier filling is desired. The extra cornstarch gels beautifully around the strawberries between the cake layers.

Serving suggestions

This strawberry sauce recipe easily transforms simple desserts from ordinary to epic. It is a perfect topping for several favorite desserts and breakfast choices such as:

• strawberry cheesecake
• angel food cake
• French toast
• ice cream
• cottage cheese
• pound cake
• filling for homemade crepes
• strawberry shortcake
• topping for yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes and waffles.

Strawberry topping FAQs

Can you make strawberry sauce without lemon?

Lemon juice is not a necessary ingredient for strawberry sauce as it is an optional ingredient, used to brighten the flavor. Good substitutes for lemon juice include lime juice, grapefruit juice, and apple cider vinegar. Omitting this acidic ingredient is not a problem since strawberry sauce is delicious without lemon juice.

How do you make no-cook strawberry sauce?

You can make a simple no-cook strawberry sauce by hulling and slicing strawberries then mixing it thoroughly with sugar. Allowing the mixture to stand for about 10 minutes naturally causes the strawberries to release some juice. The juice combines with the sugar forming a delicious no-cook strawberry sauce.

How do you thicken strawberry sauce without cornstarch or gelatin?

Cooking mashed or sliced strawberries with sugar for about 10-15 minutes will naturally create a thick sauce. Add fresh strawberries and blend the sauce to further thicken it as simmering the sauce for a longer period can result in a loss of the fresh strawberry flavor. Another option is to use an alternative thickening agent like flour.

What if the strawberry sauce is too thick?

If the strawberry sauce is too thick, simply add a little water and mix until the preferred consistency is achieved.

Can you freeze homemade strawberry sauce?

Strawberry sauce can be stored in a freezer-safe sealed container for up to 3 months in the freezer. To thaw, leave it on a countertop for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. The sauce can be reheated in a microwave or stovetop.

More delicious dessert recipes

• Chocolate Mousse Cake - A moist chocolate cake layered with a ridiculously rich yet light and airy mousse and finally covered with a silky, smooth layer of creamy chocolate ganache. Make it up to two days ahead and present a stunning stress-free centerpiece for your next dinner party

• Mini Blueberry Pies - If you love those pops of sweet, plump blueberries and crisp, flaky pie crust soaked in melted vanilla ice cream, this recipe is for you… Not only is this an extremely elegant dessert but if you have some pastry already on hand, (store-bought is fine), you can have these pies on the table within 30 minutes ..

Shemai – Creamy Vermicelli in Sweet Rose Infused Cream - there is something irresistible about the cool, silky strands of roasted vermicelli suspended in rose-infused cream. This is a celebratory dish served in the Indian subcontinent, typically cooked by a loved one to mark an important occasion and new beginnings.

Finally, if you make this strawberry topping recipe for cheesecake

I'd love to hear how it went - please leave a comment and rate this recipe. Above all, I love hearing from all of you and will do my best to answer every comment!

Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake

An ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL Strawberry Topping Recipe for cheesecake that is quick and easy to make. Much better than any store-bought or restaurant sauce! You'll love how this sauce drips down with every bite...

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: homemade strawberry sauce, strawberry sauce, strawberry topping, strawberry topping recipe for cheesecake

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 61kcal

• 1 pound strawberries fresh or frozen
• ¾ cup sugar adjust to desired sweetness
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tablespoons of water

• Put about ⅓ of the strawberries into a small bowl and set aside. Refrigerate until ready to use. Mix the cornstarch and cold water together.

  

• Transfer the remaining ⅔ of the strawberries, lemon juice, dissolved cornstarch and sugar to a small saucepan. Mix with a wooden spoon and simmer over medium-high heat for about 5-10 minutes or until the strawberries break down and the sauce begins to thicken.

  

• For a smooth sauce, puree the hot sauce in a food processor or an immersion blender until smooth. Strain the berry mixture using a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Use the back of a soup ladle or spoon to push the thick berry mixture through the mesh strainer into the bowl. Discard any seeds that remain in the strainer. Allow the fresh strawberry sauce to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

  

• For a chunkier version, add in whole or sliced strawberries to the sauce.

  

Nutrition

This recipe yields approximately 12 servings. The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.